November 11, 2017

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UPS is converting diesel trucks to electric for NYC deliveries

by John_A

UPS is investing more seriously in electric vehicles, testing out new EV delivery vans in California and snagging some of Mitsubishi Fuso’s urban trucks coming to NYC. But what about its existing fleet? The shipping company is partnering with New York State’s Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to convert up to 1,500 of its old diesel trucks to all-electric systems.

With a $500,000 grant provided by NYSERDA, UPS will collaborate with energy transportation company Unique Electric Solutions to innovate methods to switch its vehicles over to electric. Producing a conversion kit is the first milestone, which involves switching out the UPS trucks’ chassis for 225kw electric motorized ones designed by UES; The second is developing a process blueprint to transform three vehicles in a day.

If everything goes to plan, the partners will start converting trucks in Spring 2018. The upper estimate on the amount of vehicles affected — 1,500 — represents two-thirds of UPS’ NYC delivery fleet.